Profile America — Monday, February 27th. For over 70 years, visionaries have tried to make vehicles that were flying automobiles. The hope was that such a vehicle could be used by commuters to fly to an airport near work, detach the wings, and then drive to the office. One of the first, the Waterman Aerobile, was tested this month in 1937 but proved to be too expensive. In 1950, the Fulton Airphibian was certified by authorities but did not sell well. Both are on display at the National Air and Space Museum. Recently, a sophisticated flying car called the Transition has made news. In the U.S., there are nearly 224,000 civil aircraft and about 135 million automobiles. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 5447National Air and Space MuseumStatistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1096, 1083

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